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EQIP Program in Hood County

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers cost share assistance to agricultural producers to implement on-farm conservation practices. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) determines eligible producers for the EQIP program and determines eligible land. Eligible producers may apply for cost share assistance on conservation practices that will address the identified resource concern identified by the Local Work Group (LWG).

Hood County Office Information
Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Hood County USDA Service Center. Applicants may also request EQIP assistance by telephone, Fax, e-mail, or letter.

Bill Oquin, District Conservationist

State Resource Concerns Priority Areas that include part of Hood County:

Specific State Concern	State Resource Concern
AFO-CAFO -Poultry	Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO -Swine	Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO-Beef	Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO -Dairy	Water Quality/Air Quality
Salt Cedar	Invasive Species
Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher	All

Objective:

The objectives of the Hood County EQIP LWG are to promote the use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county. Some of the major resource concerns include Water Quaility, Brush Invasion, Plant Health, Water Conservation, and Soil Erosion.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

In Hood County for 2007, the LWG has identified the following resource concerns as being the top priority for cost share assistance this year.

Plant Health was selected as the highest priority concern in Hood County. Establishing permanent vegetation of cropland and rangeland will be given the highest priority for contract funding. Other practices including brush management and cross fences are also eligible and will have a positive effect on improving grazing land, reducing brush invasion, and improving plant health.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Cost Share Rates

Limited Resource Producers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers or Ranchers - 50 percent
Others - 50 percent

Practices will be cost shared based on the established average cost of the practice. The amount of cost share earned will be the number of units certified after completion multiplied by the average cost multiplied by the cost share rate.

Cost sharing will be allowed for the following practices as identified in the Field Office Technical Guide.

Practices must be installed according to NRCS specifications and guidelines.

Range Planting 550 – Establish adapted perennial native vegetation

Pasture and Hayland Planting 512 - Establish forage species for grazing or mechanical harvest. Nutrient management and pest management will be planned with this practice.

Nutrient Management 590 – Manage the amount ,form , placement and timing of plant nutrient application. This is for grass establishment only.

Pest Management 595 – Manage infestations of weeds to reducead adverse effects on plant growth. This is for grass establishment only.

Brush management 314 – Mecahnically treedoze/grub and rake targeted brush species – Heavy

Brush Management 314 – Individual plant treatment using chemical herbicides.

Densities must be less than 400 plants per acre to make IPT economically feasible.

Fence 382 – Construct a minimum of a four strand barbed wire fence for grazing distribution. Perimeter fences are not eligible.

Ranking Criteria:

Select only one practice per application. Based on majority of treatment planned.

Converting cropland into permanent grass with introduced or native vegetation – 100 pts.

Rangeland Planting or Pasture Planting – 80 pts.

Individual Plant Treatment using chemical herbicides – 60 pts.

Mechanical brush management followed by range planting or pasture planting – 40 pts.

Grazing distribution utilizing cross fences (Points are only awarded when this is the only practice planned in the application) – 20 pts.

Practices not on practice list are not eligible for cost share or incentive payments.